Why is Linda Napolitano trying to block Netflix from releasing The Manhattan Alien Abduction? Mother-of-two accuses platform of painting her a liar

Netflix : Illustration - Source: Getty
Netflix: Illustration (Image via Getty)

Linda Napolitano, a New York City-based mother of two who claimed to have been abducted by aliens, is accusing Netflix of portraying her as a liar in their upcoming docuseries, The Manhattan Alien Abduction.

Napolitano, 77, first narrated the alleged incident under the pseudonym Linda Cortile. She claimed that three grey aliens allegedly kidnapped her from her 12th-floor window in New York City on November 30, 1989. She described having seen a blue beam of light lifting her through the air into a reddish-orange spacecraft and flying toward Brooklyn Bridge.

The mother of two narrated her tale in the upcoming Netflix docuseries, The Manhattan Alien Abduction, released on the platform on October 30. As per lawsuit documents obtained by The Independent, Linda Napolitano accused the streaming platform of portraying her alleged story as “a tale of skepticism” and indicated she was lying.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday, October 28, in the New York State Supreme Court, alleges that Netflix paints her in an unflattering light and steals the work of ufologist Budd Hopkins, who first narrated Napolitano's story in 1997. The official Netflix synopsis of the upcoming docuseries reads:

“This twisting docuseries follows one woman's claim to have been abducted by aliens in 1989 - and the ufologist's wife who refused to believe her.

Napolitano's attorney, Robert Young, told The Independent that his client feels “egregiously deceived" and would not have agreed to participate in the docuseries if she had known how it would have turned out. The outlet further reported that Napolitano's lawsuit accuses UFO investigator Budd Hopkins' wife of defaming her onscreen.

Linda Napolitano is demanding the court to issue a restraining order on Netflix, banning them from releasing the docuseries or making any public comments on the matter. As of this writing, the miniseries, however, is available on Netflix for viewing.


Linda Napolitano sued Netflix for damages over portraying her as a liar in the docuseries The Manhattan Alien Abduction

Netflix Photo Illustration (Image via Getty)
Netflix Photo Illustration (Image via Getty)

Linda Napolitano's alleged story first came out when deceased UFO investigator Budd Hopkins championed her tale in his 1997 book Witnessed: The True Story of the Brooklyn Bridge Abduction.

Hopkins revealed that he was convinced that Napolitano's story was true as he received a letter from two bodyguard who were allegedly present nearby during the incident and saw a woman "floating through the sky" towards a alien spacecraft. Over 20 witnesses also confirmed to have seen the events.

On Monday (October 28), Linda Napolitano and Hopkins' estate sued Netflix, Top Hat Productions, and the estate of Hopkins' late ex-wife, Carol Rainey. The docuseries features Rainey alongside multiple other participants who commented on the alleged incident.

Rainey claimed that Linda Napolitano was lying about being abducted. At the same time, another unnamed participant said in the trailer that she was "pulling the wool over Budd's eyes” while he wrote the book. In 2011, Rainey published an article rejecting the idea of alien abductions and criticizing Hopkins' research methodology.

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As per The Independent, psychiatrists studying the phenomenon have analyzed that multiple mental health issues can lead people to believe aliens abducted them. Some may be suffering from Fantasy Prone Personality disorder. It could also be a result of s*xual assault survivors creating screen memories to deal with their trauma.

Linda Napolitano's lawsuit accuses Netflix of allowing Rainey to play a pivotal role in the documentary. The 77-year-old alleged she was an "embittered, alcoholic ex-wife hell bent on revenge against her husband," accusing Netflix of portraying her as an "expert" skeptic in the field.

The lawsuit alleged that the Netflix miniseries was Carol Rainey's “last dying act of retribution to get even with her ex-husband, rather than exhibit the actual truth as investigated and written about… in Witnessed." Speaking to The Independent, Napolitano's lawyer, Robert Young, said:

"Litigation is a long war, many battles, and I have every confidence that we will eventually prevail.”

Napolitano further claimed in the lawsuit that she had agreed to share her story for the documentary on the condition that only one interview of Rainey would be used. She believed the "true story of her abduction would finally be presented,” but was shocked after a September screening of the series.

Linda Napolitano further alleges that Netflix's docuseries portrays her as "a villain for purposes of controversy and conflict" and slanders her character and personality. She added that the docuseries would "destroy her reputation as an honest and decent person.”


As of this writing, The Manhattan Alien Abduction is available on Netflix for viewing.

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Edited by Toshali Kritika
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